NY METS: 2017 70-92, fourth place
MANAGER Mickey Callaway (first season)
ADDITIONS: 3B Todd Frazier, RF Jay Bruce, LHP Jason Vargas, 1B Adrian Gonzalez, RHP Anthony Swarzak, LHP Matt Purke, C Jose Lobaton
SUBTRACTIONS: Manager Terry Collins, LHP Josh Smoker, LHP Josh Edgin, RHP Chasen Bradford, OF Norichika Aoki, RHP Erik Goeddel, RHP Tyler Pill, LHP Tommy Milone, OF Travis Taijeron
OUTLOOK: Callaway had great success with Cleveland's arms, and the injury-plagued Mets are counting on his methods, along with new pitching coach Dave Eiland, to keep their talented but fragile rotation intact. New York also overhauled its medical department, hoping to keep star players on the field. Syndergaard and deGrom make for an imposing 1-2 punch. So if Harvey, Matz and Zack Wheeler -- even one or two of them -- can finally stay healthy and approach their initial big league form, the pitching staff could be terrific again after unraveling last year with a 5.01 ERA that ranked 28th in the majors. Vargas was signed to eat innings but will miss some time at the beginning of the season after surgery for a broken right (nonpitching) hand. All-Star outfielder Michael Conforto (27 HRs, .384 OBP, .939 OPS) is targeting a May 1 return from surgery for a dislocated left shoulder. His status is critical to a lineup that lacks speed and a natural leadoff hitter. Nimmo made strides last season and is a potential candidate for that role while platooning early with Juan Lagares to fill Conforto's spot in center field. After the Mets spent nearly $90 million to plug holes in free agency, it still might be a stretch to envision them seriously challenging star-studded Washington for NL East supremacy. But with better health in a soft division, they could certainly rejoin the wild-card hunt.

WASHINGTON: 2017 97-65, first place, lost to Cubs in NLDS
MANAGER Dave Martinez (first season)
ADDITIONS: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, RHP Joaquin Benoit, INF Matt Reynolds
SUBTRACTIONS: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, 1B-LF Adam Lind, C Jose Lobaton, RHP Matt Albers
OUTLOOK: This might be the end of an era at Nationals Park, with Harper eligible to leave as a free agent after the season and General Manager Mike Rizzo's contract set to expire, too. The team has won four NL East titles in the past six years but has zero playoff series victories to show for it. That's why yet another manager (Baker) lost his job, and yet another rookie skipper has been brought in (will Martinez have more success than Matt Williams?). Rizzo has made no secret of the need to start making postseason inroads -- a World Series is the stated goal, and that's certainly not an outrageous aim, given all the talent he's assembled. The lineup remains almost exactly the same, although Werth is gone after playing out his seven-year contract. The rotation and bullpen are also nearly identical to the way they looked at the end of 2017.

PREVIEW

Nationals' postseason hopes vanishing as they host Mets

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Nationals will be in a position few expected them to be in when they host the New York Mets Saturday in their third game of their series.

Cy Young Award contender Jacob deGrom and the Mets downed the Nationals 4-2 Friday night and about an hour later the Atlanta Braves (86-68) defeated the Phillies, officially eliminating the Nationals from the NL East title race.

The two-time defending division champion, Washington (77-77) enters Saturday eight games behind in the race for the second NL wild-card spot with eight games remaining.

Friday night the Nationals dropped their second straight to the Mets (72-82) as deGrom burnished his Cy Young Award credentials. He allowed one run on three hits over seven innings, turning his 23rd consecutive quality start -- a major league record -- and improving to 9-9 with a 1.77 ERA.

"He's just able to do things other guys aren't," Mets right fielder Jay Bruce said afterward. "He goes out there and it's been pretty automatic. He's either going to give up zero or one pretty much every time he goes out there."

Washington got a run off deGrom in the second, but he settled in, retiring the final seven batters he faced and 13 of the last 14.

The Nationals got a run in the ninth and had the tying run at the plate twice, but Juan Soto struck out and Ryan Zimmerman flied out.

"The talk in the clubhouse, as you see it again tonight, is they want to win every game," Nationals manager Dave Martinez told MASN.com. "We had the tying run up. So, they're not going to quit. I know they're going to finish this out."

The Mets got three hits and a walk from catcher Devin Mesoraco, who hadn't played since Sept. 3 due to a neck injury.

Oswalt is starting in place of Zack Wheeler, who was shut down after a dominant second half as he was close to pitching 100 more innings this season than a year ago.

Last time out, Oswalt allowed one unearned run on three hits in 2 2/3 innings at Fenway Park. He took a no decision in the Mets' 5-3 loss.

Oswalt has pitched against the Nationals twice. He worked five innings and allowed one run on two hits in a no decision July 15 at Citi Field, and he gave up six runs in one inning of relief versus Washington on Aug. 26.

Voth is stepping in for Tanner Roark, who is with his family after his wife had a baby this week. Voth, a rookie, is making his second career start and second against the Mets. On July 14 he allowed seven runs on nine hits over 4 1/3 innings versus New York and took the loss in a 7-4 defeat.

With outfielder Adam Eaton suffering some stiffness in his knee, Victor Robles is getting some extra playing time in center.

"You get some consistent at-bats in a row," Martinez told MASN.com. "You just get to watch him play baseball all around. ... Watch him play defense, watch him move around and run the bases. He's a good athlete. It's nice to see him go out there and play a few days in a row and see what he can do."

He went 1-for-4 against deGrom but cost the Nationals an early run when he took a bad route on Amed Rosario's leadoff double.